Click here to read live coverage of the second session with Rob Smyth.

28th over: England 77-1 (Strauss 40, Key 16) Nicky Boje comes on for the obligatory over of spin before lunch - I believe the correct term is "exploratory". Key pushes a single into the off-side, and Strauss plays out the rest of the over. That's lunch - and England will be reasonably happy with that after winning the toss. Thanks for all your emails - Rob Smyth will be the man in the hotseat from 11.10am GMT, so please send all your musings to rob.smyth@guardian.co.uk.

"Ben Dickinson's criticism of Anderson's hair are a bit rich," writes Steve Brammar. "I play cricket with Ben and what's left of his hair is bright orange, so that when he wears his cricket cap it looks like one of those Scottish hats with a ginger wig inside." So there you are.

27th over: England 76-1 (Strauss 40, Key 15) Key helps a poor Ntini delivery to the long-leg fence with a turn of the wrists, but on the whole he doesn't look entirely comfortable against Ntini's unique angles. A single off his hip gives Key the strike for the next over.

26th over: England 71-1 (Strauss 40, Key 10) Kallis goes round the wicket to Strauss, but it's no good - that's four through the covers, and it was worth more.

The news agencies are now reporting that Jones has a slight lower back strain, although they're stressing that the main reason for his omission is a tactical one. In other words, our epic debate this morning has not been entirely pointless (he said, sweating profusely).

25th over: England 67-1 (Strauss 36, Key 10) Ntini clatters one into the grille of Key's helmet, and there's a huge cheer from the Jo'burg crowd, not to mention a few words of advice from Boucher. The next ball is a lively bouncer that has Key swaying and Boucher purring. An outside edge falls just short of first slip. A cracking over.

"As I browse through the commentary this morning I'm seeing alot of 'cricket-based' observations from your readers," writes the frankly disgusted Robert Pink. "What's going on here? Please ask them to revert to the normal routine of low-quality gags and snide asides at GU's money men who refuse to send you to SA."

24th over: England 66-1 (Strauss 35, Key 10) Steyn overpitches and Strauss crashes him through extra cover for the shot of the morning. Where would England be in this series without him? He's even outscored the machine Kallis. A single to short midwicket is Strauss's 500th run of the series: average 100.

"Anderson or Jones - makes no odds," reckons Brian Wood. "If England are going to sort out teams then Harmison and Fred will have to do the damage backed up by Giles. When we start relying on Jones or Anderson we are back down among the also rans."

23rd over: England 61-1 (Strauss 30, Key 10) Back comes Ntini and Strauss pulls him behind square for four. A single down the ground follows.

The Jones/Anderson debate rumbles on, like John McCririck on his way to the toilet. "I don't think either Jones or Anderson has done enough with the ball to be too aggrieved at getting left out, but can we afford to lose Jones's runs?" wonders Charlie Rowlands. "I think Harmison's mainly in for his batting at the moment too."

22nd over: England 56-1 (Strauss 25, Key 10) A bad ball from Steyn, but a glorious shot from Key, who eases him to the cover fence for four. He's leaving the ball well here as Steyn shapes it away. This is a huge innings - if Key scores a century in either of the next two games, we could be looking at the end of Mark Butcher's Test career. A flick to leg gives Key two more.

Several of you have asked what the "tensions" are that Matt Emerson mentioned when he spoke of an interview Butcher did. I have to say, I'm not entirely sure. The only tensions I can think of would concern Butcher himself - not everyone in the England camp was delighted when he pulled out of the Cape Town Test on the first morning of the match.

21st over: England 50-1 (Strauss 25, Key 4) Up comes the England fifty as Key tucks Kallis to long leg for a single. It's been a bit of a grind, but no matter.

"I'm no cricket expert, but could Vaughan's decision to switch Anderson for Jones be simply an attempt to freshen things up and keep people on their toes?" wonders the modest Michael Seward. A couple of you have wondered the very same, Michael. It's not the worst theory. But then Jones has hardly been overbowled in this series - 88 overs in the first three Tests.

20th over: England 49-1 (Strauss 25, Key 3) Robert Key is off the mark with a push through the covers for three. I'd hesitate to call it a drive, because he simply put the bat there. Anyway, those are the first runs conceded by the, ahem, hopelessly wayward Steyn - from his 27th ball.

"Lawrence, can you report on the colour and state of Jimmy's hair?" asks Ben Dickinson. "I think you will find that the more dyed and abstract the hairstyle, the worse he will perform. Over the last year or so, when he's been pretty much rubbish in every game for England, he looked nothing short of a circus clown. However, if there is any semblance of normality to his locks the Test is as good as won." There's no news yet, Ben. But our people are working on it.

19th over: England 46-1 (Strauss 25, Key 0) Kallis continues, and that's a better over. The runs have completely dried up here. I guess we shouldn't complain: at Durban and Cape Town we were complaining that England were throwing their wickets away. No chance of that right now (he said, hastily looking for a piece of wood)..

"I think winning the toss could prove crucial, purely for the fact that it will hopefully give Freddie another day (or two!) to fully recover before he bowls," writes Simon Tidy. Good point.

18th over: England 46-1 (Strauss 25, Key 0) Good bowling from Steyn. Rumours of his profligacy have so far proved exaggerated. But the big question is: why doesn't he have any lips?

"What about the anti-Scottish bias of the selectors," writes Graham Wyllie. "Gavin Hamilton - bowls rubbish 0-75, gets a pair of ducks and they drop him. Where is the justice in that?" It's a fair point, Graham. I don't think Gavin ever got over the way he was treated.

17th over: England 46-1 (Strauss 25, Key 0) Kallis is bowling very wide of off stump here, which makes a change. A no-ball adds one to the total, but these are nervy times for England. Another quick wicket and South Africa will fancy their chances.

"My mate Pea-head had a dream that Ian Blackwell had been called up for Jones so maybe we should count ourselves lucky with Jimmy," points out S McCloud. Well, I suppose so, S.

16th over: England 45-1 (Strauss 25, Key 0) Trescothick has now batted seven times in this series and has made one century and a 47. Hmm. A wicket maiden for Steyn, whose figures of 3-3-0-1 are making a mockery of my comment about his expensive performances in the first two Tests.

"Do you think Anderson will be given the new ball?" asks Phil Godwin. "Seems this is likely to be his best chance of getting wickets, but then isn't that why we already have Hoggard swinging it with the new ball? Jones has the worst job of all the bowlers, trying to get wickets against usually well set batsmen with a soft ball."

WICKET! Trescothick c Boucher b Steyn 16 (45-1) So much for that good morning. Steyn's second ball after the drinks break leaves Trescothick, who nibbles pointlessly and is caught behind. Enter Robert Key.

15th over: England 45-0 (Trescothick 16, Strauss 25) On comes Jacques Kallis for Pollock (7-3-18-0), and that would have been a tidy over until he dropped short with the last ball and was pulled meatily for four by Strauss. Great shot. Ah - here are the drinks. A good first hour for England.

"Where's Rob Smyth today?" asks Paul Baker. "I miss his pessimistic commentary." Fear not, Paul. Rob will be back for the second session today. He's currently pacing up and down the office, grumbling to himself about this and that.

14th over: England 41-0 (Trescothick 16, Strauss 21) An erratic over from Steyn, but Trescothick plays a pretty ordinary shot at one that leaves him and flies past the outside edge. A maiden.

"Let's face it, these selections are often for non-playing reasons," writes Matt Emerson. "I would suspect that there are off-field tensions in the camp (alluded to by Butcher in an interview last week) which may be causing Vaughan and Fletcher to doubt Jones." I'd be very surprised if Jones is the victim of some kind of disciplinary action, Matt. I was out there for the first three Tests and Fletcher was raving about Jones. I just don't think Vaughan has worked out the best way to use him yet.

13th over: England 41-0 (Trescothick 16, Strauss 21) Pollock drops short and Strauss carves him over cover for four. He's put away the loose ball very well this morning. But he's also played a couple of rash strokes, and he almost gets a fatal edge there as Pollock draws him into the drive. England will be delighted with this start.

"It looks like the selectors have finally listened to Sir Geoffrey and dropped Simon Jones," says Mark Hunt. "The team certainly looks more threatening with Anderson in there." There haven't been too many who agree with you here, Mark.

12th over: England 37-0 (Trescothick 16, Strauss 17) On comes Dale Steyn for Ntini (5-2-19-0) and he immediately induces a rash drive-and-miss from Trescothick. A stray to leg costs South Africa four leg-byes. Steyn was fast but expensive at Port Elizabeth and Durban, and I reckon England will be pleased to see him back in place of Charl Langeveldt.

"Isn't it just typical that in a match where batting or bowling first is not clear cut, Vaughan wins the toss," bemoans Phil Godwin. The thought occurred to me too, Phil. Cape Town would have been handy. But England are doing OK so far this morning. You expect a few nerves against the new ball.

11th over: England 33-0 (Trescothick 16, Strauss 17) Pollock continues to pluck beauties out of thin air as Strauss pushes forward and is beaten twice in that over. Strauss then drives at one that leaves him and just beats the diving gully - a very fortunate four runs.

"Dropping Jones is just another example of the inherent, and historical, anti-Welshness of the selectors," writes Ben Harris. "I mean, what did the Steves (Watkin and James) ever do wrong?" And where does Robert Croft fit into your argument Ben?

10th over: England 29-0 (Trescothick 16, Strauss 13) A stroke of fortune there for Trescothick, who flashes at a ball from Ntini that flies over the packed cordon and away for four. South Africa are working on the theory that Tresco is vulnerable outside off stump against the quickest bowlers. They've got three slips, two gullies and a man at deep backward point. So what does Ntini do? He sends down a nice half-volley which Trescothick pushes down the ground for four. Poor bowling.

"I think if England are patient and see off the swinging new ball this will be a fruitful batting track," writes Matthew Callender, not unreasonably.

9th over: England 21-0 (Trescothick 8, Strauss 13) Pollock is making the occasional ball misbehave, and Strauss has to be on his guard. One ball jags alarmingly, but England have got through the opening 35 minutes unscathed.

"Why do you think Vaughan doesn't trust Jones?" asks Stephen. "I like Anderson, but he is too hit and miss. Jones has guts and line and length." He seems to have pigeonholed him, Stephen. He generally gets two spells: one as second change, and then another once the ball is about 50 overs old, when his ability to get reverse-swing should come into play. I think that approach sells Jones short, but then I've been a fan ever since his debut against India at Lord's in 2002.

8th over: England 21-0 (Trescothick 8, Strauss 13) Aleem Dar appears to have his arms tied behind his back - that really was a wide from Ntini, but Dar disagrees. An undeserved maiden.

"I agree that poor old Simon Jones has been unlucky," writes James Peterson. "Especially as Jimmy hasn't played a game in seven weeks. It seems counterintuitive to me - especially as the thinner air at 6000ft doesn't help swing bowling, while Jones can more fairly be described as a seamer."

7th over: England 21-0 (Trescothick 8, Strauss 13) Pollock drops short (another one for the scrapbook) and Strauss cuts him high and handsome for four - a cracking shot! The next ball brings two runs as Pollock drifts down leg (another clipping for the increasingly bulging book).

Here's Nicholas Watson. "I'll get Tom Newman to send something interesting in for you. I'm sure he'll come up with some interesting comment not involving Nazis." I dare say.

6th over: England 15-0 (Trescothick 8, Strauss 7) Not much evidence of swing here. Just a bit of seam movement from Pollock, and, in that over, straight slanting deliveries from Ntini. In an attempt to make the batsmen play Ntini goes round the wicket, but it disrupts his line and Trescothick helps him to deep backward square for four. "That's filth" declares my colleague Rob Smyth. The next ball is overpitched and Tresco picks up two more through mid-on.

5th over: England 9-0 (Trescothick 2, Strauss 7) A collector's item as Pollock strays onto Strauss's pads with his first ball - four runs through midwicket, and I didn't even use the phrase bread-and-butter. Gah! The rest of the over broods menacingly.

"I don't quite see the point of taking the gamble in picking Jimmy A, then deciding to bat on the first day," writes Richard O'Hagan. "The first session of the match is the only time that you can guarantee to have a new ball in the morning when the swing is likely to be greatest." I see your point, Richard. But I don't think you'd base your team strategy around a guy who has barely played all tour.

4th over: England 5-0 (Trescothick 2, Strauss 3) The drought is over: Strauss gets a thick inside edge to deep backward square for three off Ntini, and, after 21 balls, England are up and running. Trescothick gets another thick inside edge next ball and England pick up two more. Lots of thick inside edges so far. But no emails.

3rd over: England 0-0 (Trescothick 0, Strauss 0) I think that Simon Jones is unlucky to miss out here. Yes, he can be expensive, but he wasn't at Cape Town and he has shown enough in brief career to suggest that he has something about him. I suspect Vaughan does not entirely trust him. Anyway, that's another maiden to Pollock and England are still looking for their first run.

2nd over: England 0-0 (Trescothick 0, Strauss 0) There's been a lot of rain on the high veldt over the last fortnight, but not apparently in the last three days. Still, it wouldn't have been a straightforward choice for Vaughan to make when he won the toss - the ball should swing this morning. Makhaya Ntini takes up the attack from the Golf Course End but Strauss has few problems. The last ball should have been called a wide, but Aleem Dar is obviously feeling generous.

1st over: England 0-0 (Trescothick 0, Strauss 0) Shaun Pollock gets the game going from the Corlett Drive End, and as usual he's right on the money from the start as he slants the ball across Trescothick. The fourth ball is on his pads, but Jacques Rudolph cuts out any chance of a run with a good tumbling stop at square-leg. A maiden there on a sunny morning in Johannesburg.

8.28am Right, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss are walking out to bat. Here we go...

8.25am England have dropped Simon Jones and brought in Jimmy Anderson on the basis that the ball is expected to swing. South Africa have handed the gloves to Mark Boucher, which means AB de Villiers plays as a batsman only in place of poor old Hashim Amla. Oh, and Dale Steyn is back for Charl Langeveldt, who broke his hand at Cape Town.

8.20am Ladies and gents, good morning. And have we got a Test match for you! It's 1-1 with two to play, and the good - not to say remarkable - news is that Michael Vaughan has won only his seventh toss in 23 Tests and England will bat first at the Wanderers. Team news to follow.